● Day of Writers for Peace since 1985
1985
-Holding of the First Day of Writers for Peace Gathering on March 3, 1985-
The Day of Writers for Peace was established in the Peace Committee at the 47th International P.E.N. Congress in Tokyo in May 1984 and the intention to achieve universal freedom and peace through specific anti-nuclear policies was incorporated into the meeting, so this congress was an opportunity to enhance the value of the presence of the Japan P.E.N. Club in International PEN.
. The day was established to hold campaigns wishing for peace at PEN centers all around the world on the same day every year. The Japan P.E.N. Club held the first Day of Writers for Peace gathering at the Sogetsu Hall in Akasaka, Tokyo on March 3, 1985. This day was chosen because it is the day of the Momo no Sekkku (Girls' Festival) and Hinamatsuri (Dolls' Festival) in Japan.
At the meeting of the Writers for Peace Committee held in Bled, Yugoslavia (now Slovenia) in May that year agreement was reached that the day proposed by the Japan P.E.N. Club, March 3, was the most suitable date for avoiding war in the countries of the world and the committee decided to hold the Day of Writers for Peace permanently on this date beginning with the second Day of Writers for Peace in 1986.
The first Day of Writers for Peace gathering is held in Tokyo (thereafter held on the same day every year)
6th Day of Writers for Peace gathering in Shizuoka
Shusaku Endo (1990)